Inflatable fabric segment of curved configuration



Nov. 3, 1953 I c J, RD 2,657,716

INFLATABLE FA BRIC SEGMENT OF CURVED CONFIGURATION Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. CHARLES J. FORD I Nov. 3, 1953 c. J. FORD ,7 6

INFLATABLE FABRIC SEGMENT OF CURVED CONFIGURATION Filed Oct. 28, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 4{ 4 /COAT|NG K 'x /X L X I 9 2TH: THREADS IO-1 y X f FABRIC 17 v FIG 3 4 COATING INVENTOR- CHARLES J. FORD ATTORNEY NOV. 3, 1953 c, RD 2,657,716

. INFLATABLE FABRIC SEGMENT OF CURVED CONFIGURATION Filed Oct. 28, 1950 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7

INVENTOR.

CHARLES J. FORD ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 3, 1953 2,657,713 INFLATABLE FABRIC SEGMENT F CURVE-l) CONFIGURATION- hatis J- .l bid e Ohio, assignbr ow n fggt Qgrpgration Akron,,0hin, a. corporation A plication October 28, 1950, Serial No; 192,721

'1 came, (01. ice-H410) 11 Presen invention'nertains ta an inflatable fabric segment or structural element. More par; su 'ar y, the invention, is concerned with a. form 0.5 nflatable structure made entirely fromfahric. wh h has been coated or treated to; renderit. im ervi us to gas and which is capable of assum; ns; a. curved configuration upon inflation.-

EQ certa n specific uses of more or less; tem-L 12913 3! natu Structures fabricated from water! 7 canvas. or rubberizedrabrics. and: having the ab itr to. be quickly; and easily constructed nd d sm ntled have proven highly advantage! ons- Slipkt qmleentionaljstr-uctures, however, usina ly j iq ilie. some means;- bywhich the canvas orfabric is suspended tar-supported; in the form hi h t s t assume; d pendingubong the; use. to

1 s mit-v These. supports; are usu-allyrigidi v. 4 g a ,1 1a. result of which the r .9 exc edin ly; dflicult; ta store; and tran p rt; add tions such; sunncrtine or sus aens ca meanspresent elastructignsmnetherdis:- uose w intericrly; or: extericrlr of; the structure h n; coa t-metacv resen mention cont mplates a. form; of: structu; 1:. e emen hich: wili: in c norate not Qnli' .A f arnework or sunncrtingstructure; but a so thnconfinin wallsuas well irn at single-unit; This novel construction provides a structural memb r:- Whichel minates virtually; all oi; the problems encc nteredc the; atonem nt-tinned ccnv .t-icnai structures; Moreover-1- theprcduct eieat resaoi erect on; net.

are;

r eidrty ase f: tora e: an mum n thaor l nary iormsions here ar -many p a ,iwhere; no,

a mean is; .desirabla. but lscr rverlv or. ca dr'ical rca q. baseme- A a ee h a rrrlanar- Hi l 1't.; fiQQ Sfi. 1/ be an uiarir joined t eth. to storm m stzatstru turese The; curved fi urat on-n b fabric:.- e mcnt--or r tural: element-disclosed; herein; highly advantageollsging avoiding; sharp; on angular joints; 'Eheicurvedi: onfiguration; of theefabricz-segment mcrecver-iaficrdaa, highhr advantageous StruC-w ra hapewhich; a s sses r ater: stren th character tic.s,-

Thusmt isanohiechof the present; inventiom to. provide .a:. form..of:;inflatable tfabriciisegment or str-uctu'ral element whichpos'sesses the aforementioned -attributes byreason of: its ability to suine a curved configuration -upon-inflation.-

Other objects and advantages of the product of: the invention-.twill become apparent aSi-amletat mar Figurel of the drawingsrepresents a vertical cross-section through an inflated fiat fabric segment iliustrating a form of conventional strueturei element. Figure 2 illustrates a vertical section through a typical curved fabric segment embodying the teachings of the present invention; Figure 3 isanzenlargeci fragmentary section corresponding generally to that shown Figure Z-J Figuret is av fragmentary plan; view of a portion of the fabric segment shown: in Figure 3 as: seen from the, 1ine:-4-'-'4 therein-i; Figure 5 is an enlargd section oi a portion of the fabric taken along' the line 5'5 in FigureA Figure 6=i1lus-+ trates atypical: rubber cored. thread: such asmay be used in: the fabric employed. in; the construc tion of the fabric. segments Fig. tisa perspectiveview. with iii-portion: broken away. 7 I a g In Figure I of: therdrawingsis shown: one form of? fabric segment, indicated: generally bythe ref! erence numeralifi; constructed; from twospacedplies oi? fahric-rk'andf-"ii which are joined together the wean ing:operation by means ofa piuralityofzdrop' on tie" threads. 4.. The" fabric segment I- is: convenientlyformedintor an: envelope by jo-irw inga-the end's orr'edgesrof thefabric plies:2- and13 as: by meansiot. thestapes: 5": and- 6.- which are securelmcementedzimplace about the entire periph ery: ofzthe'fabricrsegment I. g I

The outerexposedsurtaces: of r the fabric plies! anrtzarare customarily coated with some suitable:v gaseimperviousi' coating such, for example; as: natural; or synthetic, rubber and; the like. The: tapes '5; and.- Ga wh-ich cooperate; with the 'fabri'c plies zsiandsa'toz form an enveloper are made; froma fabricwhich h-as previously been coated with rubber or impregnated with a materi'aiiwhiclrzwilhserve stoi retain:,-gas under" pressure in the chamber 1 oizthe-sfabric segment I'; Although :m-any othercoating: andimpregnating materials: arer-knnwri.;andi couldzgbe used-for the purpose-: 015*"rend'ering-ithe: fabric impervious"- to gas =-under pressure'ytheicoating which possesses all the desired characteristics and has? been chiefly emplo'yed isfi rubber rami may r-beof either naturakbr synthetic: origimzr. Anytsriitablexform of inflating tube or valve 2| may be provided:

For many purposes,rtheaflatz'form of fabriesegmerit lhas: manytdisadvantages"as werhave altrieady seni Tor-"overcome these" disadvantages; the fabric' segment 8uof1 igures land 7 compris ing -aitop: fabric plytiltandz asbotto'mfabric ply I'O hassbeenwdeviseii; 'Ihes fabricv segment Bvaliows for extensibility of the top ply 9 along :thelarger radius ofthenzcurveditsectionf andi is characterized tailed descriptionoffione-embodiment- -of the inby:-ai-smdoth1y1=@curvedieconfiguration:upon-inflaven-tion broceeds:

tiomwithzthe degrees.)r'eictentv oft curvaturebein readily controllable. Heretofore, in order to produce a curvature in a flat fabric segment such as the segment I, it has been the practice to take a series of folds or tucks in the fabric ply 3 along the smaller radius of the desired curved section. Such folding or tucking creates a break line in the fabric segment I, tending to weaken it, and

frequently interferes with the freedom of the tie ures' 5 and 6 in which a rubber core I2 is covered with a spirally wrapped fiber l3 of cotton, rayon, nylon, or the like. The rubber core l2 provides the desired extensibility, while the fiber wrap 13 serves to limit somewhat the extent of stretch of the thread II.

The threads 14 in the fabric forming the top ply and extending transversely of the extensible rubber cored threads H are ordinary threads of cotton, rayon, nylon, or the like usually corresponding to the fiber wrap l3 on the rubber cored thread for the sake of uniformity. These threads I and the drop or tie threads l5 which serve in the same manner as their counterparts 4 in the fabric segment I of Fig. l to join together the top and bottom plies 9 and ID of the fabric segment 8, are substantially inextensible. The two-ply fabric with connecting tie threads woven at least partially in each ply is similar in construction to uncut pile fabrics.

' As previously indicated, the top and bottom fabric plies 9 and H] are covered with a coating 16 and I1, respectively, of rubber or the like. Next, the top and bottom plies 9 and ll! of coated fabric are joined as shown in Fig. 2 by means of the fabric tapes l8 and 19 which are of rubberized fabric and adhesively bonded to the fabric plies adjacent their edges, thereby forming an envelope which encloses a gas confining chamber 20 capable of inflation as by means of the inflating tube or valve 22. On subsequent admission of gas to the chamber 2c, the top ply of fabric 9, being capable of extension, will stretch, and the tie threads 15 and the composition of the bottom fabric ply ID, by reason of their being inextensible, will cause the fabric segment 8 to assume the curved configuration illustrated in Figure 2.

Whenever the gas is released from the chamber 20, the fabric segment 8 will flatten out, but will always be capable of assuming the predetermined degree of curvature on subsequent inflation. This curved structure is capable of extensive use in all types of temporary buildings, shelters, forms, flotation elements, supporting structures, and the like.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising a first ply of iii) material which is capable of being stretched in one of its dimensions; a second ply of substantially inextensible material; a plurality of ties anchored to each of the plies for retaining them in predetermined spaced relation, said plies being sealed at their margins to form an envelope; and a gas-impervious coating on the exposed surfaces of each ply.

2. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising a first ply of woven fabric which is extensible in one of its dimensions; a second ply of woven fabric which is substantially inextensible; a plurality of individual tie threads woven partially in each of the plies so disposed that the fabric plies are capable of being arranged in spaced, generally parallel relation to each other; means for sealing the marginal edges of the juxtaposed plies; and a vulcanized rubber coating on the exposed surfaces of the fabric plies.

3. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising a first ply of fabric embodying in its construction threads which are extensible disposed in one direction in said fabric; a second ply of fabric woven from threads which are substantially inextensibly spaced from the first ply, but attached thereto by means of a plurality of tie threads woven partially into each of the fabric plies, the marginal edges of said plies being joined to form an envelope; and a gas-impervious coating on the outermost surfaces of each ply.

4. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation,

said fabric segment comprising two fabric plies, one of which embodies in its construction threads capable of limited extensibility extending in one direction therein, said plies being joined together by a plurality of tie threads woven partially into each of the fabric plies; means joining the marginal edges of the plies in the form of an envelope; and a thin coating of rubber compound vulcanized on those faces of the plies which are opposed to those into which the tie threads are woven.

5. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising two fabric plies, one of which embodies in its construction threads capable of limited extensibility extending in one direction therein, said plies being sealed at their marginal edges and joined together in spaced, mutually parallel relation by a plurality of substantially inextensible tie threads woven partially into each of the fabric plies; and a thin coating of rubber compound vulcanized on those faces of the plies which are opposed to those into which the tie threads are woven.

6. An inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising two fabric plies, one of which embodies in its construction rubber cored threads which provide limited extensibility of the fabric in one of its dimensions, said plies being sealed together adjacent the margins thereof in the form of an envelope and joined together by a plurality of the inextensible threads woven partially into each of the fabric plies so as to permit the same to be spaced apart; an inflating tube in one of the plies; and a rubber coating on the surface of each ply opposite that in which the tie threads are anchored.

7. In inflatable fabric segment capable of assuming a curved configuration upon inflation, said fabric segment comprising a first fabric ply embodying in its construction threads having a fiber wrapped rubber core extending in one direction therein to render the ply extensible; a second fabric ply of substantially inextensible construction; a plurality of tie threads woven partially in each of the fabric plies in such fashion that the plies are capable of being spaced apart from each other in mutually parallel relation; means sealing the marginal edges of the fabric plies to form an envelope; an inflating tube in one of the plies; and a vulcanized rubber coating on the exposed surface of each ply.

CHARLES J. FORD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Hardesty Oct. 20, 1896 Gulbrandsen Nov. 28, 1916 Robertson Nov. 19, 1918 Hopkinson May 29, 1928 Mangold Oct. 16, 1934 Martin Mar. 26, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Aug. 1, 1893 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1935 Great Britain Mar. 2, 1948 

